Synchronous clock system



Sept. 6, 1927.

F. W. WOOD SYNGHRONOUS CLOCK SYSTEM Filed A1121. 22, 1925 Sept. 6, 1927.

F. W. WOOD SYNCHRONOUS CLOCK SYSTEM 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1923 INVENTOR 7;; WWW

ATTORNE.

Se to 1 p v 7 F. w. WOOD SYNCHRONOUS CLOCK SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 22, 1923 r INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

' UNITED STATES A 1,641,940 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. WOOD, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T CHAS CORY Q: SON, INi- CORPORATEP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

. SYN CHRQNQUS GLOCK SYSTEM.

App1icati0n filed A ngust 22, 1923. Serial No. (58,662.

My invention relates to a clock system or mechanism including one or any desired plurality of secondary clocks and a primary or master clock, so constructed and arranged that each pointer of each secondary clock is at all times controlled or positioned in ac cordance with a corresponding controlling instrumentality or transmitter in the primary clock. r

In secondary clock systems up to the present time it has been customary toconnect the pointers (hands) of each secondary clock by suitable gearing or equivalent connec: tions to move at the proper relative speeds, and to drive each secondary mechanism practically as a unit by impulses transmitted from the primary clock; for instance, by

means of an electro-magnet and ratchet mechanism, the electro-niagnet in each secondary clock being in circuit with a transmitting element or circuit closer in the primary clock, so that each secondary mecha-" nism is driven as a unit-by successive impulses. This arrangement leads to various difficulties including the following:

ondary clocks ahead simultaneously but it is impossible to set them back, except by stopping the primary clock or transmitting mechanism and allowing the necessary time to elapse before theprimary mechanismis restarted. This difficulty is especially no ticeable on board ship where it is necessary to reset the clocks daily in accordance with the longitudinal position of the ship.

To avoid the above statedand other dis-I advantages of present systems, and to realize certain advantages sufficiently stated hereinafter, the present system or mechanism comprises, asbriefly described,-one'or usually a plurality of secondary clocks, each of which includes a plurality of electrically energized instrumentalities which may otherwise be identified for convenience as motors, each of these motors being connected. to one of other the clock hands; and there is no mechanical connection between the individual motors and no gear train connecting the hands' These secondary clocks operate in connec tion with a primary or master clock including a plur'alityof electrical transmitting instrumentalities, for example, a second, minute and hour transmitter, and suitable means for driving the transmitters in proper speed relation to each other and in proper clock time.- The individual transmitters may be connected mechanically to move at proper relative speeds, and a primary driving ele ment of the gear train or other connections may be driven in any suitable way at a proper s eed, for instance, it may be moved once eac second through six circular degrees, and each other transmitter will then be moved by the gear connections a. corresponding distance, that is, the minute transmitter will be moved one-tenth of a circular degree and the hour transmitter will be. moved 1/120 of a degree (.'O0833). Otherwise, each transmitter may be independently driven by suitable timing or control mecha- IllSIIl at pro er intervals-to position it with the desired requency.

In either case, each transmitter has suit-v able circuit connections to the corresponding synchronous motors of all of the secondaries; for instance, the second transmitter of the primary is inci'rcuit with the second motors of all of the secondaries, the minute transmitter'is in circuit with the minute? motors of allof the secondaries,

' etc.

The transmitters and motors are of any known or suitable type in which thelreceiv ing instrumentality or motor responds at all;

times to movements .of the transmitter; or in words, is positioned synchronouslywith the transmitter. Synchronous electrical deViceS Of' this class are suflicientl represented by known transmitters an synchronous receivers or moto'rs of the alternatin'g type, as sufliciently illustrated and explained in the following detail description; although any suitable electrical instrumentalities may be employed for this purpose,

Since each hand of every secondary clock 'is at all times controlled by and synchro nized with one of the primary transmitters, all of the secondaries may be reset at any time by merely resetting the primary clock. If there is any disturbance in the circuits known or suitable synchronous devices that may be employed for the purpose.

. motor D.

A great variety of driving or controlling devices may be employed to move the diflerent transmitters of the primary clock through suitable angles at the proper intervals. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the armature 1 of each transmitter is mechanically connected by means of its shaft 12, with interposed gearing 13 when necessary, to a suitable driving or controlling mechanism, these mechanisms being graphically indicated in Figure 1 in which the rectangle K represents a casing containing driving or controlling mechanism for transmitter T, K represents mechanism for transmitter T K similar mechanism for transmitter T All the controlling or driving mechanisms may be substantially identical in structure, 211- though they may be controlled or driven at different speeds, intervals, or time-rates. Figure 2 shows one of the mechanisms, such as K, diagrammatically.

While in a broad aspect of the invention any suitable driving or controlling mecha nism may be used, it is usually desirable for various reasons to provide electrical, or at least electrically controlled driving mechanism of which thepresent instrumentalities K, K etc., are-representative in a broad sense, but also include particular features which are preferred in many cases. In the resent particular driving mechanism, thereore electrical contact members C, C, are employed to control through suitable relays R, R R and R a suitable electric driving While any suitable motor may be employed, in the present instance the motor is of a type which may be described as a directcurrent, multipolar motor, ofv'vhich the armature 15 is mounted on a shaft 16 whichis connected to the armature oftransmitt'ei T, in the present instance, through gearing 13, Figure 1. The-armaturehas a coil 17, the ends of which are connected by conductors 18, 18 to fixed contacts 19, 19 20 and 20" of the pole-changing relay R". The motor also has field coils 21, 22, 23, and 24, equally spaced about the argnature, andropposite coils such as 21 and 23 are. connected in series and wound so that their ends confronting the.

armature have opposite polarities, and so also with respect to the coils 22 and 24. One terminal of each pair of field coils is connected to a fixed contact of a suitable secondary relay R and the other terminal of each pair is connected to a suitable source of current. Specifically, the outer terminaifs'mi coils '21 and 24 are connected at 26 to a conductor 28 which. is connected to negatlve line Wire W The outer terminals of coils 22 and 23 are connected respectively to contacts 30, 31 and 32, 33 of secondary relay R which controls the field coil circuits.

Relay'sR and It may be of a similar type, inwhichthe movable'elements are armatures 34 and'35' respectively are moved in one direction by the magnet coil and in-the other direction by a spring; thus the armature of relay R is moved one way by its coil 36 and this movement is resisted and the armature is moved in the opposite direction when the magnet is deenergized' by a s ring 37; and similarly the armatureof re ay R is controlled by a solenoid 38 and spring 39. The

movable member 34 of relay R has conconductor leads from a conductor 44 which in turn is connected to positive line wire W, and conductor 43 is also connected to one terminal of solenoid 36; the'other solenoid terminal is connected by a conductor 45 to primary relay R. i

The movable element 35 of pole changing relay R has contacts 46 and 47 cooperating respectively with fixed contacts 19, 20 and 19 20 Movable cont-act 46 is connected by a conductor 48 to conductor 28, and contact 47 is connected by a conductor 49 to conductor 44. One terminal of relay solenoid 38 is connected to conductor 43 and the other terminal is connected by a conductor 50 to primary relay R The rela s R and B may be of similar type, inclu ing a movable element or armature 52 normally retracted by-a spring 53. Relay R has a solenoid 54 and relay R has a solenoid 55. Relay R has spaced contacts 56 and 57 adapted to beclosed' by, a contact member on the relay armature and relay R has spaced contacts 58 and 59 adapted to be armature. Conductor 45 previously men tioned is connected to contact 56 and conductor 50 is connected to contact 58. 'Contacts 57 and 59 are connected to a conductor 60. which leads to conductor 28. a. The primary relays R and R are controlled by the contact members 0 and (l which, in the present instance, are metal discs on a shaft 65 which is driven. by any 'closed by a contact member on the relay suitable clockwork, sufliciently indicated at A. The discs may be electrically connected (ill i of relay it.

1L "'1 discs to one tern final The other solenoid terminal connected to conductor 60 previously inentionecl, which runs to one terminal of potentiometer 77 or in otuer Words is crecti celly continuous with conductor .78.

A contact brush beers on the peri hery of clisc 70, and is connected loy conductor 86; to one terminal of solenoid 55' of relay The other terminal of the solenoisl is connected to conductor 60 just above mentioned. Torecluce sparking between brushes 8?; anti 85 and their moving contact members, suitable condensers may be providec for e1;- simple a cohclenser 88 is connected. across brush 85 ancl its contact disc 7O encl a conconrluctor 83 clcnser 89 is connected across brush 82 encl the number of contacts revolution. 'cncl also in some cases with regard to other ports oi the mechanism, such as the relay driving motor arrangement.

in the present particular nechenisrn the clocloclriven shaft 65 may he rotated once in two SeCOn(lS."-'@I1 contact per seconcl is therefore estchlicheil hetiveen clisc 66 enol brush 82. In the positionshovvn in Figure 2, contact has been estehlishecl between contuct'seginent 68 ancl the brush. A circuit from positive V7 througn conductor L4;

notentionueter 77, concluctor 7%, brush 8O,

shaft 65, con'cluctor 83, solenoid 2, concluctors'oO incl K8, concluctor 28 to nego-' tive line W is therefore closed end-solenoid 54: Will attract armature 52 and oriclge the gen between contacts 56 and 5? of relay it. this time relay is (leenergizecl by reason of brush 85 resting on. insulate-cl segment 72 of disc 70. The movement of armature 52 closesthe circuit of fielcl controlling relay R this circuit being fromone terminal of solenoid 86 through conductor 45, to contact 56, to Contact 57 to conductor 60, to conductor 78 and so to negative line ll and from positive line Vi through conoluctor and conductor 43 to-the-cther terminal of the solenoid. The energizing of solenoicl 3% pulls the armature 34 to the left against the pressure of spring 3?,nncl movable contacts 40 and 41' are brought in contact with lineal contacts encl 31 of secondary relay E Previous to this action ZLZHQ driving motor helcl in its position set of coils it closed .4 7 cl inovelole q the circuit heing from the er coil 28 contacts 82 and 38, contacts lO 41 from conductors 4&2 enrl i l, to positive line VT and "from negative line il through co uctorsQS, 28 theouter terininel'oi coil 21. The energizing oft solenoid 36, however, interruptccl the stated circuit and energizes coils 2?, curl 2 1-, the circuit being from the outer tetnincl of coil 29; to contacts 30 ancl 31, contacts 4.0 enrl 4-1., to conductor 42, to condoctor 43, to condiuctor it and the positive line W enrl from negative line W end conductors Q8 and 28 to the outer terminal of coil;

Previous to the stctecl action of relay R armature coil l? was energized to retain the coil and its armature ii the position shown by o'tcoils 9,1 cncl 23, by the location cl cl armature of reley it to the right in Figure 2 closing the circuit controlled. by such armature; this circuit being from one terminal ofthe coil through conductor 18, to Contact 19, to contect 4L6, to conductor 4-8, to coniuctor 28 negative line W and from the positive line /l through conductors and (9, to contact l7, contact 19 encl rough conductor to the other coil ter- This circuit is notrlist-urloed encl the 'm: Lu

polarity or the erinuture coils remains the moves clockwise one quarter turn to a vertical posit-ion. While circuit through coils 22 en l is mcinteinedi hy the maintenance of the armature reley R in the left hand; position, by. reason of contact segment o 68 of li'sc'66 still remaining in contact With brush 82,=the further rotation of shaft hrings contact segment 71 of disc in contact with brush Eio-lenoiil 55 of relay l 1 is thereupon energice l, the circuit being; from one terminal of the solenoid through the conductor 86 to hru'sh 85, to disc 2'0, through shaft 65 to hrush conductor 79, to potentioineter 77 to conrluctor 75 enol so to positive line W anti from the negative line W -throiigh conductors 28,- 7 8 anti 60 to the other terminal of the solenoicl.- Armature 52 is thereupon ettructecl by the solenoid and closes the circuit of relay R between the contncts 58 encl 59, the circuit being from one- 50 to contact 58', to-contact 59 anti through conductors to, 78 en l-28 to the negative line i and from the positive line through conductors 44; ancl lto the other solenoid terminal. The armature or relay L 8 is thereupon niove l to the left breaking the circuit hetvveen l9 and to curl ltzetiveen con tacts 19 and 47, and establishing a reversed circuit to armature coil 17 from the positive 7 and negativeline wires and contacts 46 and 47 to contacts 20 and 20- respectively and from the last named contacts through conductors 18 and 18 to the coil.

At about the same instant that solenoid 38 is energized, contact segment 68 of disc 66 passes away from brush 82, breaking the circuit of solenoid 54'of relay R. Th is in turn causes the vcircuit of relay R to be broken and spring 37 movesa'rmature'34 to the right, breaking the circuit through coils 22 and 24, and reestablishing the circuit through coils 21 and 23. Since the polarity of these coils is the same whenever energized and the polarity of the armature coils has now been reversed the armature makes another step or one quarter rotation resuming the horizontal position shown in Figure 2.

. It is therefor evident that in the present arrangement of mechanism, for what may be called each time impulse or driving 'impulse controlled by the clock mechanism A,

the armature of the driving motor D makes two quarter-turns in very rapid succession,

or one'half turn altogether. At the expire-Q tion of one second, contact segments 69 of disc 66 will come in contact with brush 82, and coils 22' and 24 will again be energized while the armature polarity remains the same; the armature will then make a one quarter-turn; the armature polarity will then be reversed and coils 21 and 23 again energized and the armature: will rmake another one quarter-turn or back to the original position, and these actions are repeated indefinitely. a

Considerablepower is required to properly energize a suitable motor, such as'D, to properly drive the transmitter armatures and the above described driving or controlling mechanism provides for supplying ample current at a substantial voltage for this purpose. The line wires W, W of the driving or controlling mechanism or mechanisms may be supplied with direct current at 125 volts, as ordinarily available on shipboard or in many other places, and the full voltage may be impressed upon the motor D throughsuitable contacts in the relays R and R At the same time it is desirable to supply a small amount of current at low voltage to the controlling contacts and this is provided for by the potentiometer 7 7 or other suitable or equivalent means. The primary relays R and R dbntrolled by the contacts and discs 66 and 70, and brushes 82 and 85 are arranged for operation at low voltage or with a small current flow and the secondary relays are controlled by the primary relays and may be operated at full line voltage.

In the system as illustrated in Figure 1, driving or controlling mechanism similar to particular instance, the gear reduction as between shaft 16 and shaft 12, is in the ratio of 30 to 1 therefore every time "shaft 16 makes one half turn, which is once'each second, shaft 12 and the second hand H thereon, Figure 4, makes one sixtieth revolution corresponding to a second interval on the circular second dial of the clock face F, Figure 4. In order to conveniently provide a reduction of 30 to' 1, the reduction is made in two stages in the gearing shown in Figures 3 and 4. A pinion 100 on shaft 16 drives a larger gear 101 on a counter shaft 102, and a pinion 103 on the counter shaft drives a larger gear 104 on shaft 12, these pinions and gears being dimensioned to we the proper drive ratio. Any other suita le gearing may be provided. a

In the drive mechanism for the minute transmitter T the shaft correspondin to shaft 65, Figure 2, may be arranged to revolve once each two minutes, and when co'ntactsgare providedin the same fashion and when thereduction gearing in the gear box is the same, the armature of transmitter T will be turned one 'sixtieth of a revolution per minute. In the driving mechanism for hour transmitter T the drive shaft may, to give one example, be arranged to make one rotation each30 minutes and if it has two contact segments, one contact will be made each\15 minutes, and then with a reduction ratio of 24 to 1 in the gear box 13,

the armature transmitter T will make one twelfth revolution per hour corresponding to the hour spacing on the clock dial.

Figure 4 represents one'modification of the system or mechanism in accordance with which one controlling or driving mechanism K, Figure 2, is employed to drive all the primary clock transmitters at the proper rates.

nected by suitable gearing to shaft 12, which is the primary drive shaft of all the synliZO chronous transmitters of the primary clock.

For example, shaft 110 is connected to shaft 12 by suitable gearing at the ratio of 1 to 60, or so that 60 turns of shaft 12,produce 1 turn of shaft 110. This gearing may be of any suitable kind, for example, as shown, it may be double-reduction gearing including a worm 115 on shaft 112, driving a worm gear 116 on a counter shaft 11?, with a worm 118 on the countershaft driving a worm gear 119 on shaft 110. Suitable gearing connects shaft 110 to hour hand shaft 111 at the ratio of 12 to 1. Any suitable gcaringnray. be employed, represented in this case by a worm 120 on shaft 110 driving a worm gear 121 on a countershal't 122.. which is connected to shaft 111 by bevel gear 123; since in the present case: a single reduction is usually suflicient, which may be provided by a single worm gear combination.

For the sake of illustrative clearness, the diflerent countershaifts 12, 110 and 111 are shown in widely-separated locations, and the clock dial F is duplicated with relation to each shalt, although lira physical embodiment of the invention the shafts will be so associated or connected to the second, minute and hour hands H, El and]? that these handswill move on a single dial F, as usual.

A switch 130 is shown interposed in the line conductors L and L Figure 1, for the convenient control of the synchronous circuits and a switch 131; may he provided in the direct current line conductors W, W for the driving mechanism or mechanisms. It will be evident from the preceding explanation of the synchronous action of the primary transmitters the secondary motors that 'each pointer of each secondary cloclr will at all times be accurately positioned in accordance with the position of the corresponding pointer (hand) on the primary clock, so long as the circuits and other proper order. While a derangement may occur in one secondary cloclr which will cause one or more of its hands to get out of step with the primary clock as much as one revolution, and this diiiculty may not he detected at the primary clock station, and re setting of the individual secondary clock may then be necessary, any disturbance which causes all of the secondary clocks to get out of step with the primary clock will be observed at the primary clock station, be-

cause one secondary cloclr 1S usually located at-that station, where it can be readily com pared With the dial of the primary clock.

The synchronous clock circuit or the direct current driving circuit, or both, may then be interrupted by opening the corresponding switches 130 and 131, depending on the nature of disturbance, and after the trouble has been remedied, the switches may he again closed and operations resumed as usu- 2.1. If all the secondary clocks have gotten out of step with the primary, the driving circuit W, W may be broken while the synchronous system is energized and then the parts of the mechanism or system are in initial driving element, -such as shaft 16 of the system, as shown in Figure 1-, or the cprresponding driving shafts of any or all of the transmitters in the system as shown in Figure 1, may be rotated, regardless of the time indicated on the primary clock dial, to bring the secondary cloclr pointers to proper time positions; switch 130 may then he opened and the primary clock shafts may he turned to indicate proper clock time, and then. both switches 181 and 130 are closed .and the secondaries will then be properly transmitters, means for driving them at dif ferent time rates, and one or more secondary mechanisms each including a plurality of synchronous-type electric motors, each of said motors connected to move in synchronism with one of said transmitters and constructed and arranged to maintain its synchronous position during substantial variations of circuit voltage. V 7

3. In a synchronous clock s stem,'a master clock comprising a plura ity of rotary electric transmitters, means for moving each transmitter at a difierent time rate, a plurality of secondary clocks each comprising a plurality of rotary electric motive instrumentalities, corresponding motive instru mentallties of all the secondary clocks being in circuit with a corresponding one of the primary clock transmitters and synchronized therewith. I

4. A synchronous clock system comprising a primary clock, a plurality of rotary secondary clocks, a rotary electric transmitter in the primary clock, means for driving it at a definite time rate, an electric motive instrumentality in each secondary clock, all of said motive instrumentalities being synchronized with said primary transmitter, another rotary electric transmitter in the primary clock, means for driving it at a different definite time rate, and another rotary elec tric motive instrumentality in each secondary clock connected to move in synchronism with said other transmitter.

5. A synchronous clock system comprising a primary clock, a plurality of secondary clocks, a rotary electric second transmitter in the primary clock, means for driving it at a rotary electric minute motor in'each sec-n ondary clock connected to move in synchronism with said minute transmitter, a ro-' tary electric hour transmitter in the primary clock, and a rotary electric hour motor in each secondary clock connected to move in synchronism with 'said 'hour transmitter.

6. A synchronous clock systemcomprising contact mechanism driven at a predetermined time rate, a driving motor and a circuit controlled by the contact mechanism for intermittently driving the motor, a primary V 3 electric transmitter of synchronous type, a

driving connection between'the motor and said transmitter,- a plurality of secondary clocks each includin an electric motor synchronized with sai primary transmitter, another'primary transmitter of synchronous type, means for ,drivingit'in definite time.

ratio to the movement of the first transmitter, and another electric motor in each secondary clock, the last-named motors ofall the secondary clocks being synchronized with the'last-named primary transmitter.

Signed at New York'city,in the county I of New York and State of New York thi 21st day of June A. 192? 1 FRANK W. woon. 

